Wed, 07 Dec 2016 09:21:04 +0000
By Nation Reporters
THE Church and opposition political parties have roundly chastised the United Party for National Development for practicing archaic and uncivilized politics by banning its Members of Parliament from attending State functions. Meanwhile chief government spokesperson Kampamba Mulenga condemned the ban as a “sign of lack of leadership” and wondered how the UPND will develop their constituencies without working with government. Ms Mulenga said the UPND MPs should stop attending parliamentary session because they are just eating tax payers’ money by not attending to the business of governance. The People’s Alliance for Change has branded the UPND as an “autocratic political organisation” and warned that such a ban is an infringement on the citizens’ rights to participate in national affairs. The Jesuit for Theological Reflections similarly warned that the UPND risks dividing the country by banning its members of Parliament from attending State Functions which are mostly non-political. JCTR executive director Leonard Chiti called the ban an “undemocratic” move that could potentially plunge the country into a state of political pandemonium. “It’s unrealistic for the UPND to ban their members from attending state functions, such decisions are capable of dividing the nation and plunge the state into a state of pandemonium. They should distinguish between state functions and non-state functions” said Mr Chiti Meanwhile, the MMD has charged that the UPND is being “politically myopic” by associating State function to their political feelings, and advised the opposition political party to stop thinking that its members will be representing their leader Hakainde Hichilema if they attend State functions. MMD national secretary Raphael Nakacinda said UPND is “contradicting itself” for having allowed their MPs to take oath in Parliament before starting their legislative functions. He said the UPND should go back to the drawing board and reorganize itself or else risk being rejected by the Zambian people in the next general election. “What the UPND must know is that those MPs do not represent Mr Hakainde Hichilema in these events but the people who voted for them,” Mr Nakacinda said. Gallant Youth in Zambia executive director Henry Mulenga called the UPND ban “a shame” which is “tantamount to dictatorship”. Mr Mulenga said the opposition party must not hold its MPs hostage because they are part of the governance system. United Progressive People’s president Saviour Chishimba said political parties need to “draw a line between party and national assignments” because once one is elected a MP, he or she no longer serves the interest of the party but the constituency.
